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Le Tour de France 2014 - Stage 5 - Ypres - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 09-07-2014 19:02
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Kentaurus wrote:
Okay, so I didn't wake up in time to watch the race, but recorded it and watched so putting in my thoughts now.
First, Nibbles being the big winner of the day isn't a shock at all, he is easily the best bike handler of the GC guys, that wasn't a surprise. The margin he won by, and the other riders he and Fuglsang beat though... that was a shock.
Second, loved the comments by TVG, saying what he thought, however I disagree, I liked having the cobbles, though I will admit the rain really made this bad for the tour this year. Perhaps in the future have a similar route planed, but keep an alternate (non-cobbled route) as an option if the weather looks like this. Also I think he was told to post the apology on his twitter and the "Today was an epic day of bike racing!!!" is certainly sarcastic.
Also my Velogames team is sitting pretty for the future a bit now with Porte.
They actually removed a couple of the cobble sections before the start because of the weather.
I really think we would have seen a lot more crashes if it was just a typical flat day. The majority of the crashes were on the wet, tight roads not on the cobbles. If they were in one large group, I think we would have seen a lot more major crashes. To me it looked more like 1 or 2 riders were going down at a time due to the smaller sized groups and apart from Froome, no major injuries.
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| Kentaurus |
Posted on 09-07-2014 19:52
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valverde321 wrote:
They actually removed a couple of the cobble sections before the start because of the weather.
I really think we would have seen a lot more crashes if it was just a typical flat day. The majority of the crashes were on the wet, tight roads not on the cobbles. If they were in one large group, I think we would have seen a lot more major crashes. To me it looked more like 1 or 2 riders were going down at a time due to the smaller sized groups and apart from Froome, no major injuries.
Yes, I'm aware, but I think in the future they should do away with all, or at least most. Most of the crashes were on the roads, but a lot of that has to do with the adjustments the bikes had designed for the cobbles. Also you saw a ton of pressure throughout the race as the GC guys fought pretty hard to be on the front and there was never really a calm pace to the race.
AZTECA - NBCSN  |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-11-2024 05:27
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| I_Mayo |
Posted on 09-07-2014 20:41
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TvG's attitude is just straight pathetic. He is the main reason I don't like modern GC riders, they think it'a all about climbing and TTs nowadays. If you can't handle one, I mean one, just one fucking stage of cobbles in comparison to shitloads of mountain stages, then maybe your priority should not be GC, but KOM. |
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| Roextro |
Posted on 09-07-2014 20:44
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what did TVG say? |
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 09-07-2014 20:46
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I_Mayo wrote:
TvG's attitude is just straight pathetic. He is the main reason I don't like modern GC riders, they think it'a all about climbing and TTs nowadays. If you can't handle one, I mean one, just one fucking stage of cobbles in comparison to shitloads of mountain stages, then maybe your priority should not be GC, but KOM.
Completely agree. I initially liked him, but that comment he made was bullshit and its not like the Tour visits the pavées every year. Get over it.
Now, lets get those 2 next stage over with and head to the Vosgues! Cant wait. |
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 09-07-2014 21:00
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jihardy wrote:
what did TVG say?
I guess similiar to what Voigt said in 2010. that the organisers are murderers
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| Dee-Jay |
Posted on 09-07-2014 21:01
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Amazing some of the nonsense I've read here about Froome today. Yeah, lets see one of main contenders quit out of the race on bad luck rather than skill or fitness..
Come to think of it, the Froome haters never really had a sensible argument.
Superb ride by Nibali and co, today though. |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 09-07-2014 21:08
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Dee-Jay wrote:
Come to think of it, the Froome haters never really had a sensible argument.
Stupid Froome haters. Not willing to support a genetic experiment.
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 09-07-2014 21:15
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Dee-Jay wrote:
Amazing some of the nonsense I've read here about Froome today. Yeah, lets see one of main contenders quit out of the race on bad luck rather than skill or fitness..
Come to think of it, the Froome haters never really had a sensible argument.
Superb ride by Nibali and co, today though.
I actually feel really sorry for that guy after i read the his comment after the stage in which he said that he basically couldnt control his bike today after his crash yesterday. But that happens.
The worst of it is the nonsense on danish television about Wiggins now. Even Nieve would be able to ride a much better GC than Wiggo with this route. Will be very interesting to see how Porte and Nieve fares now, i expect a top-5 from Porte and a stage win and a potentially top-10 for Nieve as he luck very strong in Dauphine.
On another note, Rui Costa was great today, I expected him to lose some time to the other GC guys. Gettin more and more curious to see what he can do in the big mountains. |
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| Dee-Jay |
Posted on 09-07-2014 22:02
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Yes riis - although I do feel that Sky should've built their team around British riders. It's nonsense that Wiggins would've been a valid GC contender ahead of better climbers like Porte and Nieve, but I think he should've been there for his profile in the first 3 stages. Also the likes of Ben Swift taken instead of racing the Giro (although he's been riding since the early classics).
Good stage for Kwiatkowski, putting lots of time into most of the big GC riders too.
Not really sure if it's the best thing for the TdF though - maybe too much of a lottery to go towards deciding the Tour. But hey, that's racing. |
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| I_Mayo |
Posted on 09-07-2014 22:05
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Dee-Jay wrote:
Amazing some of the nonsense I've read here about Froome today. Yeah, lets see one of main contenders quit out of the race on bad luck rather than skill or fitness..
Come to think of it, the Froome haters never really had a sensible argument.
Superb ride by Nibali and co, today though.
Having highest wattage is not skill but pure power, but skill... Froome has none, he doesn't know how to sit properly on bike and his pedaling is just painful to watch, and I won't even mention his bike handling skills. That being said I still feel sad for him as a human being. |
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| Dee-Jay |
Posted on 09-07-2014 22:06
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alexkr00 wrote:
Dee-Jay wrote:
Come to think of it, the Froome haters never really had a sensible argument.
Stupid Froome haters. Not willing to support a genetic experiment.
Yeah - it's that deadly combination of alien DNA, cybernetic legs and miniature fusion reactor in his chest. Come to think of it - I thought I saw hydraulic fluid dripping from the wound on his shoulder.
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| jph27 |
Posted on 09-07-2014 22:11
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Dee-Jay wrote:
Come to think of it - I thought I saw hydraulic fluid dripping from the wound on his shoulder.
Glad I wasn't the only one. Was questioning my sanity a little. |
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| Iguwell |
Posted on 09-07-2014 22:13
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Conspiracy: Following the decision to give Porte the best helpers during todays stage Froome was so dissapointed that even though he was physically able to keep going he ditched the race out of pure discontent. |
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| Dee-Jay |
Posted on 09-07-2014 22:27
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I_Mayo wrote:
Dee-Jay wrote:
Amazing some of the nonsense I've read here about Froome today. Yeah, lets see one of main contenders quit out of the race on bad luck rather than skill or fitness..
Come to think of it, the Froome haters never really had a sensible argument.
Superb ride by Nibali and co, today though.
Having highest wattage is not skill but pure power, but skill... Froome has none, he doesn't know how to sit properly on bike and his pedaling is just painful to watch, and I won't even mention his bike handling skills. That being said I still feel sad for him as a human being.
Froome might have a shambolic riding style, but he has won the Tour, remember, so it can't be that big a deal!
Where have you got this bike handling business from? Ok, he's probably not the best, but he fell in the Dauphine due to a pothole and got sunk yesterday because another rider went down in front of him. |
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 09-07-2014 22:40
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I_Mayo wrote:
TvG's attitude is just straight pathetic. He is the main reason I don't like modern GC riders, they think it'a all about climbing and TTs nowadays. If you can't handle one, I mean one, just one fucking stage of cobbles in comparison to shitloads of mountain stages, then maybe your priority should not be GC, but KOM.
Couldn't agree more.
The Tour should do a "Schleck special" next year; no cobbles (duh), no downhills (because the Tour should be won by skill, and downhilling is not a skill, apparently), no flat stages (dangerous sprints), cancel all rainy stages and remove all TTs (because like downhilling, timetrialing isn't a part of cycling). Make every stage a mountain stage with no downhill parts, we'll finish on Mount Everest.
There's a fine line between "psychotherapist" and "psycho the rapist"
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| 547984 |
Posted on 09-07-2014 23:03
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I love Froome.
baseballlover312, 06-03-14 : "Nuke Moscow...Don't worry Russia, we've got plenty of love to go around your cities"
Sarah Palin, 08-03-14 (CPAC, on Russian aggression) : "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a nuke is a good guy with a nuke"
Big thanks to jdog for making this AMAZING userbar! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 09-07-2014 23:14
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Wonder how many riders will leave the Tour with chest colds and flu after todays stage  |
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| Locke |
Posted on 10-07-2014 00:19
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sutty68 wrote:
Wonder how many riders will leave the Tour with chest colds and flu after todays stage
Its been well documented that wet and cold temperatures have no effect on getting sick. That is a myth. |
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| Kritzo |
Posted on 10-07-2014 01:36
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ruben wrote:
Also amazing Lieuwe Westra... did a fantastic job for Nibali, who is know 2 minutes ahead of everyone.
Westra was indeed great, but what about the guy coming in as second of the stage, sitting all day by Nibali rather than being in a breakaway? 
I must admit that I hate to have missed today's stage of epicness. According to the interviews, reports, tweets etc., I have read afterwards, this was truly one of the most epic stages of recent cycling history.
I do not feel like Contador's today is lost here at all, and for the more objective point of view, this opens up for on of the most aggressive ridden Tours of all time.
What an amazing race, we can look forward to! 
Proud Member of the Leeds United Army!
RAFAL MAJKA |
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